Blade - Unbound

Since ancient times, it had been said that rhinoceros horn possessed the power to commune with spirits.

A story recorded in the History of the Jin Dynasty spoke of this. When the famous statesman Wen Qiao returned to Wuchang, he arrived at Niuzhu Breakwater, where the waters were said to be unfathomably deep. Local legends claimed countless monsters lurked beneath the surface, so Wen Qiao had ordered a rhinoceros horn to be lit to illuminate the waters.

Soon, strange creatures emerged from the river to extinguish the flame. They came in all manner of grotesque forms, including some riding horse-drawn carriages while dressed in crimson robes. Wen Qiao found the spectacle fascinating, but that very night he dreamed of a man angrily confronting him.

"The realms of the living and the dead are separate. We have never disturbed one another. Why did you insist on shining your light upon us?"

Not long afterward, Wen Qiao suffered a stroke and died within ten days. It was a classic case of curiosity killing the cat.

The Garden of Marvels of the Southern Dynasties also recorded the saying: One dares not burn the horn of a living rhinoceros. When lit, it emits a wondrous fragrance. Carrying its scent upon one's clothes allows a person to commune with ghosts.

From then on, the belief that rhinoceros horn could communicate with spirits became widespread among the common people. Even the act of exposing hidden evil came to be called "Burning the Rhinoceros" or "Rhinoceros Illumination."

Later, many people, driven by the same curiosity, tried burning rhinoceros horn themselves, only to see nothing at all. They dismissed the stories as mere superstition and laughed them off.

Of course, what they did not know was that ordinary rhinoceros horn was useless. Zhao Luzi had once explained it to Li Yan. The Divine Continent had been home to rhinoceroses since ancient times, divided into mountain rhinoceroses and water rhinoceroses. Water rhinoceroses lived along riverbanks. Once they developed spiritual intelligence and cultivated themselves, they fed exclusively on poisonous plants. Gentle by nature, they would help detoxify anyone who had been poisoned.

Such spirit beasts were known as Heavenly Rhinoceroses. Only the horns of Heavenly Rhinoceroses possessed the ability to communicate with ghosts and gods.

However, as the saying went: A man is guilty because he possesses a treasure. Because of their invaluable horns, those gentle spirit beasts were hunted relentlessly.

How severe was the slaughter?

The Discourses of the States recorded King Goujian berating King Fuchai: Fuchai already has three thousand soldiers clad in water rhinoceros armor. He does not worry that his ambitions lack shame, only that his army is not yet large enough.

The insult carried two meanings. First, it condemned Fuchai's wanton killing of Heavenly Rhinoceroses to arm his ever growing army. Second, it mocked the elite army. That army had been established through ancient secret arts. Clad in armor fashioned from water-rhinoceros hide, they could command the mountain spirits and ghosts along their march. Wherever they advanced, fierce winds arose; sand and stones filled the air; and they became as elusive as gods and demons.

They weren't the only ones to wield such methods. In the present day, water rhinoceroses were exceedingly rare. Only the Daoist lineages of Wu and Yue still raised them within blessed secret realms, regarding them as symbols of great fortune.

In ordinary times, they relied upon the Heavenly Rhinoceros's power to cure poison. Only after the spirit beast died of old age would they remove the skin and horn, which became precious materials for crafting spiritual artifacts.

Since Heavenly Rhinoceros horn was so valuable, Soul-Guiding Incense naturally came at a steep price. Even then, prices had only fallen after overseas trade resumed, allowing Heavenly Rhinoceroses to be captured elsewhere.

Naturally, Soul-Guilding Incense also came in different grades. The finest incense not only contained a much higher proportion of rhinoceros horn powder, but had also been consecrated through decades of incense offerings, giving it extraordinary potency. Once lit, it could reveal ghosts and deities, effectively replacing yin yang eyes.

However, the one in Li Yan's possession was the lowest grade. Its only effect was to attract nearby yin creatures.

The tip of the Soul-Guiding Incense flickered, and a sinister wind immediately began to rise around him. The flames of the twelve lotus lamps around him also started wavering unsteadily.

As he sat cross-legged, Li Yan felt a chill seep into his heart, as though he had been transported into the Underworld itself. Even the sound of the wind and snow outside the cave gradually faded away.

Eventually, absolute silence remained. It now seemed like only the twelve lotus lamps stood guard over his soul between heaven and earth.

This was the Northern Emperor Yin Mountain Rite. The mountain described by this art was not a mountain of the mortal world, but the Yin Mountain of the Underworld, said to be the abode of the ten underworld kings.

Simply put, the technique artificially recreated the environment of the Underworld.

Cultivation emphasized harmony between man and heaven.

Thus, when constructing his inner temple according to the Luofeng Scripture, one had to enter a blessed holy land where innate astral qi was abundant. Only there could it be successfully established.

Now, Li Yan intended to make use of this artificially created land of yin killing qi to force the Luofeng Mountain within his visualization to rise higher, preserving the balance of yin and yang while allowing his inner temple to strengthen at an accelerated rate.

Outside the cave, the wind and snow grew fiercer. Countless footprints quickly appeared across the snow. They were faint, disappearing beneath the snow almost as soon as they formed, only for even more footprints to emerge moments later.

The scent of the Soul-Guiding Incense had drawn the ghosts of the mass grave together. Even so, every yin creature merely remained outside the cave entrance.

His cultivation method could not be practiced without protective treasures.

The Three Talent Demon-Suppressing Coins, the Summoning Writ, and the Divine Tiger Token were arranged in sequence upon the ritual altar. Their auras continuously spread outward, preventing the gathered ghosts from crossing even a single step beyond the boundary of the protective treasures.

However, they were not the true threat.

The yin killing qi of the mass grave continued to converge, producing strange phenomena within the cave. Frigid air seeped from every direction, while the surroundings grew ever darker. The darkness itself seemed to come alive, attempting to devour the remaining light. The twelve lotus lamps served as both protection and representations of Li Yan's soul.

Their flames had been suppressed until they were no larger than mung beans, seemingly ready to extinguish at any moment. Li Yan felt as though he were walking alone through boundless darkness. Soft rustling sounds seemed to echo endlessly beside his ears, while an indescribable terror surged within his heart.

The Northern Emperor Scripture stated: Whoever practices this method must possess great fearlessness and immense fortune!

Setting fortune aside, Li Yan was simply cultivating with the mindset that, at worst, he would lose a single soul flame. In a sense, he had already cast life and death aside. He guarded his mind as he continued to make hand seals with his fingers without pausing.

The sequence was dazzlingly intricate. These hand seals were the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches hand seals. The human hand itself corresponded to the mysteries of yin and yang. The character that represented the rat lay at the base of the ring finger; the character that represented the ox at the base of the middle finger; and the character that represented the tiger at the base of the index finger. Completing one full cycle of the seals represented the transformations of Heaven itself.

Meanwhile, the Jia character lay beneath the index finger, the Yi character at the middle of the ring finger, and the Bing character at the tip of the index finger...[ref]Jia, Yi, Bing... = 10 Heavenly Stems. Rat, ox, tiger (12 zodiac)... = 12 Earthly Branches[\ref]

One complete circulation of the seals represented the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, the Five Elements, and the Eight Trigrams, all revolving within the palms.

It was exactly as the Yin Laws declared: The universe rests within the hand; all transformations arise from the body.

As the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches completed a full cycle, the Luofeng Mountain within his visualization seemed to rise another notch. Yin qi instantly surged, causing the deities within his inner temple to become dim and indistinct.

That was the most dangerous moment. Li Yan guarded his mind without daring to relax for even an instant. He pressed the tip of his thumb against the base of his ring finger while curling the other four fingers tightly around it, forming a complete circle that embodied the principle of mutual generation among the Five Elements.

The seal he made was called the Infant Seal. It gained its name because an infant had weak bones and soft tendons, yet gripped firmly. The seal symbolized returning to the innate state, but also forcibly sealed the spirit and soul, closing the entrances to the mind itself.

The moment any damage to his soul appeared, he immediately repaired it using the Great Luo Dharma Body. Finally, after repeating the cycle several times, the yin and yang within his body once again reached equilibrium. His inner temple became even more ancient and imposing, while the visualization shone with brilliant radiance.

Even so, Li Yan did not relax in the slightest. He began making even more hand seals and this time, the cultivation proceeded much more smoothly. By the third cycle, he no longer required the assistance of the Great Luo Dharma Body.

Outside the cave, countless ghostly flames drifted through the darkness, transforming the surroundings into a scene straight out of the Underworld...

Within the dilapidated Mountain God Temple, the campfire had likewise dimmed. Yellow talismans were plastered across the doorframe, windows, and roof beams. Even the ground was surrounded by candlelight, illuminating the nearby coffins and creating an eerily unsettling atmosphere.

Sha Lifei swallowed nervously, his voice trembling as he asked, "Daoist, how's it going?"

Li Yan had instructed them to keep their distance while he set up the protective formation. Originally, Sha Lifei had not been concerned. However, he was genuinely frightened as the night progressed.

Outside the door, the blizzard howled relentlessly. He could faintly hear wolves howling, along with rustling footsteps that seemed to come from nowhere. He could even hear a woman weeping.

In the past, he had never been able to sense any of those things.

"Daoist..." Sha Lifei stammered, "I remember you saying that ordinary people only become aware of these things when terrible misfortune is about to befall them, or when they're on the verge of death..."

Wang Daoxuan shook his head slightly. "Don't be afraid. This is because the yin killing qi has become too concentrated. Brother Yan's cultivation method is drawing the killing qi to him and gathering hundreds of ghosts together. That's why these strange phenomena are appearing."

Though he spoke calmly, his brows remained tightly furrowed. "This cultivation method seems even more dangerous than I imagined."

Should anything go wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable.

A thought crossed Wang Daoxuan's mind. He quietly fished out a yellow talisman woven with yarrow stalks. The moment he sensed anything amiss, he would immediately use the Thousand Gold Protection to save Li Yan.

The two waited anxiously until the hour of the rat was nearly over before the disturbances outside finally subsided, and the eerie sounds disappeared with them.

Sha Lifei asked hurriedly, "Did he succeed?"

Wang Daoxuan, however, frowned in confusion and shook his head. "I don't think so. Brother Yan said that once his cultivation was complete, he'll come out on his own. We shouldn't approach carelessly."

Sha Lifei scratched his head and mumbled, "Uh... alright then."

However, after waiting for a while longer, even the dense yin killing qi had dissipated back into the earth, yet Li Yan still had not emerged.

Wang Daoxuan's expression turned grave as he immediately stood up. "Something's wrong. Let's go!"

Just then, a loud report echoed across the night sky, causing both men to jump in fright.

"Thunder?"

"Doesn't sound like it. Forget that! We have to save him first!"

The two rushed out of the Mountain God Temple and sprinted toward the cave...

Li Yan had indeed encountered a small problem. Since the yin killing qi had become far too concentrated, his entire body had been encased in a layer of solid ice. His breathing and heartbeat had slowed to nearly nothing.

However, his cultivation of the Northern Emperor Yin Mountain Rite had been a complete success. The Luofeng Mountain within his sea of consciousness had risen dramatically, signifying a corresponding leap in his cultivation.

However, the overwhelming yin killing qi had reduced his body's metabolism to its absolute minimum. His spirit remained unified in perfect stillness, resembling the turtle-breathing state practiced by Daoists.

He was not injured. He had simply fallen into a deep slumber from which he could not awaken. The thunderous sound was what finally roused him. As his consciousness returned, the first thing he felt was bone-piercing cold.

Crack!

Li Yan suddenly shuddered violently, and the shell of ice surrounding him shattered into pieces. Getting to his feet, he saw that the Soul-Guiding Incense had already burned to ashes, while the oil in the twelve lotus lamps was nearly exhausted.

The disposable ritual tolls had truly served their purpose. Ignoring them, Li Yan strode forward and kicked away the massive log blocking the cave entrance. As he stepped outside, he was met by Wang Daoxuan and Sha Lifei, who were hurrying toward him.

Seeing that Li Yan was unharmed, Sha Lifei cursed with a grin, "You damned brat! You nearly scared me to death!"

Wang Daoxuan also let out a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to speak, the strange booming sound rang out again.

Sha Lifei instinctively shrank his neck and nervously looked around. "Damn it, what the hell is that? Don't tell me some zombie's smashing its way out of a coffin..."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes as he looked into the distance. "No... That's gunfire."

"Gunfire?!" Sha Lifei laughed. "Don't tell me we ran into those doing the same thing as us?"

Their trip into the mountains had not been solely for cultivation. Li Yan had also brought along the flintlock pistol, intending to practice using it in these desolate mountains where no one would see them.

The weapon was prohibited by the imperial court. If they were discovered with it, they would be in serious trouble. But whether one chose to use it and whether one knew how to use it were two different matters.

For example, if Wang Daoxuan learned to wield it and could hit a target within ten paces, then should anyone ever try to ambush him while he was performing a ritual, a single shot would teach them exactly what god tier protection was.

As for Li Yan, if he encountered a martial arts master, he could lure the opponent into making a move before ending the fight with a single shot. At worst, he could simply dispose of the body afterward. After all, they were hardly the only people in the jianghu who used gunpowder.

When one's life was on the line, who still cared about imperial prohibitions?

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and smiled bitterly. "It seems Brother Yan was right. Since others are already using them, we can't afford to remain stuck in the old ways."

Yet Li Yan's expression remained grave. "However, what they're using probably isn't an ordinary firearm."

Snow cascaded softly from the branches as the three slowly parted the foliage. The gunfire in the darkness was still far away. Even with Li Yan's divine senses, he could not detect the slightest scent.

Fortunately, several more shots rang out soon afterward, growing increasingly frequent. Following the sounds, they eventually found a small valley and climbed to a vantage point atop the ridge, peering down through the trees.

Despite the raging snowstorm, they could still make out the scene clearly.

Many people had gathered below; tents had been erected; and torches illuminated what was unmistakably a small military encampment. Every one of them was dressed in black uniforms that looked remarkably familiar.

Sha Lifei gulped nervously. "The Military Surveillance Department..."

Li Yan gave a slight nod and lowered one hand, signaling him to remain silent.

Their current position was perfect. If the enemy had hidden sentries, they could not escape Li Yan's nose. On the other hand, if there were cultivators within the camp, they were already beyond the limit of their detection range.

Li Yan could not smell those below, and likewise, those below could not sense them. A dozen members of the Military Surveillance Department were standing around the camp.

Li Yan even spotted several familiar faces. Both Commander Chang Xuan and Captain Guan Wanche were present, as well as the nun he had met shortly after arriving in Chang'an.

Two members of the Military Surveillance Department were standing before them. Each carried a flintlock rifle slung across his back, though from this distance it was impossible to make out the exact model. Below, Guan Wanche raised a hand.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two vicious wolves immediately burst out of iron cages. It was immediately obvious the beasts were terrified of the men in black. The moment they were released, they sprinted frantically toward the mountains at tremendous speed, quickly covering a great distance.

The two Military Surveillance Department members, however, did not move an inch.

When the wolves had run nearly seventy zhang[ref]210 meters for reference[\ref], Guan Wanche suddenly gave the order.

"Fire!"

The two men moved simultaneously. With a swift motion, the muskets hanging from their shoulders were already in their hands. Their movements were crisp and practiced as they pulled the triggers.

Boom! Boom!

Two deafening explosions rang out as the wolves' heads burst apart like smashed watermelons.

Sha Lifei's eyes widened to their limits as he drew in a sharp breath. Even Li Yan frowned. The firearm's power far exceeded his expectations. An ordinary flintlock was nowhere near so formidable. The enormous muzzle flash suggested an even greater effective range, while the report was thunderously loud.

After firing, both Military Surveillance Department members actually staggered back a step, clearly pushed back by the tremendous recoil.

Their firearm was using a new type of gunpowder!

Not only that, their accuracy was astonishing. It looked as though they weren't even aiming...

Cultivators!

Li Yan felt his mind go blank.

A cultivator's divine ability, combined with newly developed gunpowder...

The times truly were about to change. Watching the nun step forward to lecture the two men, Li Yan immediately understood. The reason Guan Wanche had invited her down from the mountain was to train marksmen. If he remembered correctly, Red Yaksha had once mentioned that the Daoist lineage the woman belonged to specialized in talisman archery.

The training did not end after shooting the wolves. Several members of the Military Surveillance Department released sky lanterns, which slowly floated upward, swaying from side to side in the wind and snow as they climbed higher and higher.

This time, the two riflemen did not fire immediately. Instead, they quickly reloaded before raising their rifles and carefully taking aim for a while.

Boom! Boom!

Two more shots rang, but not a single lantern fell.

The moment Li Yan saw what happened, he immediately understood why.

At a distance of around seventy zhang, the targets were still within the cultivators' range of perception. At that distance, the rifle's trajectory remained stable, and its killing power was at its greatest. Once the target moved beyond the range of their perception, however, the rifle itself became less stable, and its accuracy naturally declined considerably.

Even so, the results were astonishing. If a martial arts expert pinned down an expert within the rifle’s range... Even a master who had reached the Core Jin Realm would die from a single hit.

At that moment, countless pieces of the puzzle came together in Li Yan's mind. Li Siyuan's promotion, the theft of the gunpowder, the restructuring within the Ministry of Works, the imperial decree tightening control over the Daoist sects...

The balance that had governed the Great Xuan Dynasty was likely about to be shattered!

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